Enduring Discomfort: Missing Our Old Habits

If you find yourself missing an old habit or pattern, know this is normal and acknowledge the feeling.

Whenever we make the effort to free ourselves of an addiction or a habit we no longer need, we are often surprised to find ourselves missing the old pattern as we would a familiar friend. This sounds counterintuitive, because we think we should instinctively gravitate toward that which is good for us. And yet, it makes a lot of sense when you consider that we humans are creatures of habit. This is why we gravitate to people and places—and patterns of behavior–that make us feel comfortable. Therefore, many of the habits we form are not conscious and are based instead on learned behavior from role models who were not always making the healthiest decisions.

Most addictions begin as a way of avoiding feelings that are extremely uncomfortable, so it makes sense that stopping the addiction means, for a time, a fair amount of discomfort. The same, of course, is true of habits that we have developed over time that we are ready to release. Just knowing that this is hard, and having compassion for ourselves as we work through this process, can help us to stay the course when we feel the urge to backtrack. It’s also helpful to remember that in time we will establish new, healthier patterns, and the yearning for the old ones will disappear. Eventually, we will instinctively reach for things that are good for us, and the longing for positive change may form the basis of a new habit.

The only way to get to this new place is to endure a time of difficulty, which is a challenge we can confidently handle, if we remember that it will lead to the change we seek in our lives. Our bodies, hearts, and minds always need time to adjust to a new way of doing things, but they will adapt, and even become our allies, if we remain true to our vision of a new way.

PHOTO (cc): Flickr / Kaptain Kobold

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

About daily.om

DailyOM features inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. Every weekday, DailyOM sends messages that are written in an easy to read style, perfect for a quick read to start your day. Subjects are wide ranging and focus on the entire holistic approach to living in order to nurture your mind, body & spirit. DailyOM is your daily dose of positive energy.

, , , , , ,

One Response to Enduring Discomfort: Missing Our Old Habits

  1. puchita 88 November 22, 2010 at 2:45 am #

    so true, we are trully creatures of habit. and we like to be in the same page no matter if it hurst us. but once we decide to move on, we can do it. it may hurt as we think about the past times, but eventually we all heal. thanks for your inspiration.